Kohala Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day window for Kohala Lighthouse is a real mixed bag, and honestly, it’s mostly a barrel of frustration. We’ve got plenty of swell rolling in, but the wind is just wrecking it for most of the run. The water is sitting at 81°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first stand-out that actually gets the blood pumping is Monday afternoon, the 7th of September. After days of messy cross-shore junk, the wind goes glassy – a light NE breeze at just 3 mph. The swell is a solid 7 ft from the ENE with a nice long 12-second period, packing a solid 1404 (moderate-to-strong energy). This is a reef break and that long period groundswell is going to line up beautifully here. It’s an advanced wave, so this isn’t for the faint-hearted, but for those with the skills, it’s going to be clean and powerful. It’s a consistent spot, so you can rely on sets, but crowds are possible.

Then, Tuesday the 8th of September keeps the good vibes rolling. The morning shows a 5 ft swell from the west with a 10-second period (848 energy), and the wind is glassy again from the SW at 6 mph. The afternoon drops to 3 ft from the east with a very long 14-second period (588 energy) and glassy conditions from the ESE. Both sessions are looking excellent for experienced surfers, offering a real change of pace.

After that, the wind swings back to a cross-shore mess, and the swell sticks around in the 7 ft to 8 ft range, but the conditions are just too lumpy and choppy for good paddle surfing. With the wind and tide fighting it, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than a proper surf. The energy remains high, often in the 1000 to 2000 range, but it’s wasted.

Into the second week, from the 12th of September right through to the 18th, it’s a pretty grim picture. The wind stays cross or cross-onshore, and the swell drops off in size and period. There’s a brief flicker on the morning of the 18th of September with a 5 ft east swell and a 12-second period, but the cross-shore wind will chop it up. Overall, it’s a long, quiet end to the outlook. Ride the glass on Monday and Tuesday of the first week, and then maybe give it a rest.

Rusty.

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